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Monday, March 28, 2016

I'm not big on bug-out bags or necessarily bug out specific preps. Primarily because we are currently planning on sheltering in place. But more importantly because I advocate for every day, always and all ways preparedness. The supplies I carry with me are to get me back home should I be caught away when SHTF. If you are specifically planning on buggin' out and have laid plans and prepared your preps, great. This still applies to you too.

I'm sure many of you will not agree with me that this is the most ignored and at the same time most important prep. I say this because it is quite possibly the topic I see the least information and least emphasis about while it is quite possibly the most important thing you could have with you for ANY possibility.

In any emergency scenario, whether it be an SHTF event or a broken down vehicle, it all comes down to relying only on yourself. If it occurs while you are at your bug out or shelter in place location then that would be a best case scenario. However, if you find yourself many miles away, nobody but yourself is responsible to get you back. If you find yourself stranded you are the only one who can operate your own feet to get you to that safe place.

What I am eluding to is one of the first things Lieutenant Dan told Forest and Bubba. "Take care of your feet!". This means wearing the right footwear; both socks and shoes.

If Rule #1 of Zombie Land is Cardio then Rule #2 should be Footwear!

What shoes do you wear around everyday? In an emergency you will quite likely be stuck with only what you have with you. If you are able to get to your vehicle, where I know most of us carry a good portion of our EDC supplies, then you should either consider yourself lucky or blessed. Most everything that I carry in my vehicle are redundant supplies. I can do without them if I have to because I have more of the same at home or bug-out location. What if for your employment you are you required to wear a dress shoe or other safety shoe? At times I have owned both dress shoes and steel toe boots that were not very comfortable. Could you walk 30+ miles in those shoes? Probably, but what would be the condition of your feet afterwards? Are you able to run, jump and climb in those same shoes? If you can't, then maybe you should re-evaluate your daily footwear.

Do you have an extra pair of shoes/boots in your vehicle? By your desk? In your EDC bag? Do you know, and have you, ever walked/hiked several miles in these shoes?

It can be difficult to find a shoe that you can walk 30 miles in comfortably and also wear around the office, but not impossible.

My wife has shoes that she purchased because they fit, were inexpensive and cute. But after only a few minutes of walking become painful to wear. Lets hope that you don't find yourself with those kinds of shoes on your feet when there comes a time when you have to sprint away from danger or walk a dozen miles to get to safety.

Before you go on a long backpacking or hiking trip one would typically make sure that the boots you are going to hike in are 'broken in'. The boot pictured above, a full leather boot, will definitely need to be broken in so that it does not give the wearer blisters or is otherwise uncomfortable.

The boot pictured below has no need of break in time. However, it is not as durable as a full leather boot. You can buy this boot brand new and hike 20 miles the same day without problems.

This Salomon boot, and any version thereof may not be ideal footwear for the office but they will get you where every you need to go in absolute comfort!

It takes time, trial and error to find just the right boots or shoes for your feet. I can't over emphasize how important it is to take the time and spend the money to find the right boots for your feet.

I love to hike, backpack and explore so my boots get used and abused often. Even if you don't do the same you will thank me that you made the effort and spent the money on a boot that can get you through Armageddon comfortably. If you only use that boot once a year they will be worth every penny when you REALLY need them.

If there is one item not to cheap out on it is your footwear. Day to day it may not seem to matter but in a critical situation I guarantee you that it will.

These are the shoes that I wear every day. They are appropriate for my work and are just about as comfortable a shoe as I have ever owned as well as quite appropriate and capable for light hiking and sprinting away from a zombie infestation.

Almost as important as your choice of footwear in the apocalypse are the socks that you wear in combination with your shoes. There are lots of good quality sock brands. My favorite? Lorpen. Best sock for the money if you ask me. I choose to wear these every day. Merino wool, or other synthetic. Medium weight is what I prefer for hiking and mostly a light weight (light hiker) sock for everyday use. I will usually wear a heavy sock with my full leather boots.

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The purpose of this site is to provide you with information about what I have learned, my experience, and what my motivations are as a Prepared Guy. I have always felt driven to be ready for any situation by something powerful deep inside me. Being prepared has always served me well. I feel compelled to help others do the same.